MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino called on real estate developers yesterday to preserve cultural heritage in their projects.
Speaking at the launching of Lucky Chinatown, an upscale mall in Binondo, Manila, Aquino said he hopes big developments could coexist with the smaller shops of Binondo.
“We stand in an enclave that, in the more than 400 years of its existence, has taken an important role in forming both the identity of many Chinese-Filipinos, and the cultural identity of our country,” he said.
“Our country is changing: our economy is on an upswing, the global community has confidence in us, and our people are more optimistic about their futures than ever before.
“But I believe that as we grow, we should be able to preserve the various and unique components that, together, form our national identity. Which is why I hope that Chinatown never loses the character that makes it distinct.”
Aquino said if reforms are enacted for a longer period, the country will go through more positive change.
“But in the future, I hope more companies follow the footsteps of Megaworld and Vicsal, and pursue their development projects while remaining sensitive to the cultural roots of the areas where they are established,” he said.
“It is a dream of mine that future generations will be able to come here, and still imagine (Filipino saint) Lorenzo Ruiz walking these same streets, or (national hero) Andres Bonifacio getting married in the Binondo Church, or some of our country’s most successful businessmen working tirelessly to create a better life for their families.
“We still want our children to be able to come here and believe that the stories in the pages of their history books, once upon a time, truly happened.”
Aquino said in the early 1600s, people of Binondo watched Ruiz grow up into a fine young man-and eventually, into a saint that would inspire Filipinos for centuries to come.
“And, of course, it was also in Binondo where the success stories of many of our taipans began taking shape,” he said. “This was where they learned the difficult lessons of business. This was where they found their first successes, and made their first fortunes. This is where they planted the seeds of empires whose names all Filipinos can recognize. Their success has always led me to believe that if you could make it here, you could make it anywhere.”
Aquino said it was Binondo Church, just a few blocks away from the Lucky Chinatown mall, where Andres Bonifacio married his wife, Gregoria de Jesus.
“It brings me great pleasure that, today, we get to pay tribute to Binondo’s cultural and economic significance at the same time in the form of this Lucky Chinatown Heritage Project,” he said. “Many of us have seen Binondo, through the years, as a place of small, quaint, family-owned shops. But what we are witnessing today is yet another transformation of one of our cultural pillars – a new chapter in Binondo’s story.”0
Aquino said it was a welcome surprise to see a 108,000-square meter mall being built in Binondo, “not to mention a museum, a 2,400 square meter supermarket, and, finally, a parking facility that can accommodate a thousand cars.”
“I am told this project cost a total of P7 billion, and is expected to give rise to 4,000 new jobs,” he said.
“It is comforting to have renowned companies like Megaworld and Vicsal affirm their confidence in our country not just through words, but in the form of pesos and centavos.
“We know that these companies don’t simply decide to spend P7 billion on a project. They do their homework. They know that they can build a successful mall here because there is a market for it – a market that has the capacity to patronize the mall. And this is something that several businesses from here and around the world are realizing: Doing business is more fun, and more profitable, in the Philippines.”
Megaworld Corp. constructed the P7-billion five-level shopping, dining and entertainment center with the Chinatown Walk – a street development recreating the Chinatown of old, complete with pre-Spanish era-inspired architecture and authentic Chinese stores and establishments.